Packaging apparatus



May.15, 1923. 1,455,037

C. G. BELDEN I PACKAGING APPARATUS May' 15, 1923. 1,455,037

C. G. BEI-DEN PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 15, 1923. 1,455,037

- c. G. BELDEN PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v e' 1 1m @M/Mw Mam Patented May 15, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE. l

CLEMENTS G. BELDEN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO I'IHE CROWN CORK AND SEAL COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, A CORPORATION OFMARYLAND.

PACKAGING APPARATUS. l

Applicatin ld April 5, 1919. SerialNo. 287,'1'10.

To all whom z't lmay concern Be it known that I, CLEMEN'rs G. BELDEN,

a citizen oiy the United States, residing at Baltimore andy State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packaging A paratus, ully described and represente in the .following specification and the accompanylng drawings, forming a part of the same.

i his invention relates to packaging apparatus, and particularly to bottle capping machines of the type in which bottles are supplied to a plurality of reciprocating supports which areraised successively to a llke number of capping heads.

In packaging liquids with machines of the type mentioned it is important that the bottles shall be accurately centered beneath the capping heads. It isV further' desirable that the bottles shall be fed intothis position without jar, sudden movement, or the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide packaging apparatus such that the bottles are accurately centered beneath the packaging head. It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of the type' mentioned such that this accurate centering of the bottles is attained without jar or sudden movement and is equally effective regardless of the speed at which the machine is operated.

With these general objects in view the invention consists in the Tieatures, details of construction and combination of parts which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a view, in vertical sec-tion, of a portion of a bottle capping machine here illustrated as an example, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation with parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing in elevation a portion of the bottle centering mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the lmachine The lower part of this cage has a running fit on the standard and the upper part has a shouldered portion 18 running on a c01- lar 19, which is threaded onto the standard and which prevents vertical movement of the cage. To rotate the cage 16, it is provided with a worm wheel 20 meshing with a worm gear 21 on a shaft 22, to which power may be applied in any suitable manl ner. Secured to the cage by bolts 23 to rotate therewith, is a column 24 which has a running fiton the standard 15. ing with the' column 24 is a housing 25, which carries the several capping heads 26. These capping heads may be of any suitable construction. In order that the capping heads may be adjusted asto their vertical position, to accommodate bottles of different sizes, the housing 25 is secured to the column 24 by means of a flanged nut 27 which takes over a iange 25 on the housing 25 and which is in threaded relation with the column.

Beneath each capping head -26 is a bottle support carried by the cage and these bottle supports in 'the present embodiment are raised successively during the rotation of the cage, so as to elevate thebottles to the capping heads. Although the bottle supports may have various constructions, in the embodiment here shown, each support comprises a cylindrical member 28 having fastened into its top a seat 29 for a bottle 30. These bottle. supporting cylinders reciprocate in cylindrical bearings 31 carried by the cage 16 and-conveniently formed as an integral part thereof.' The elevation of the bottle supports is caused by a cam track 32 carried by the upper base section 12 and on lwhich ride ycam rollersy 33^mounted on pins 34 carried by the cylindrical members .28. This cam ltrack 32 has a symmetrical rise and fall, so that each bottle support will be' elevated from normal position to capping position and returned to normal posi- `tlon during one rotation of the cage In order to positively lower the bottle supports` the lower ends of the cylindrical members 28 are provided with lugs 35 which carry Rotatcam rollers 36 travelling on the under-side of the cam track 32. In order to guide the l bottles,

bottle supports during their-movement the cylindrical members 28' are slotted as at 37 to travel on guide piiis 58 carried by the bearings 31. F

In order to protect the bearings of the reciprocating supports .from liquid, glass and the like, there 'are providedprotecting sleeves 39 which are secured to the tops of the cylindrical members 2S and extend downwardly a suiiicient distance to overlap the tops of the bearings 31 at all times, regardless of the position of the supports. It will be seen that the length of the sleeves 39 will depend on the upward extension of the bearings 31. lFig. 1 illustrates, at the right-hand side, a bottle support in its'lowered position with the protecting sleeve completely telescoping the upper part of the bearing. On the left-hand lside of Fig. 1 is illustrated a support in its extreme elevated position with the protecting sleeve o'verlapping the top of the bearing. Thus at all times the cylindrical members and their bearings are enclosed by the overlapping sleeves, and liquid, broken glass and the like are prevented from getting into the bearings.

Means is also provided for protecting the base from broken glass, caps and the like. As here shown, as an example, the base section 12 has a rim40, and the cage 16 is formed with a downwardly extending skirt 41 arranged to overhang the rim 40 of the base, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

There is provided meansA for advancing indiscriminately spaced, toward capping position. Although capable of various constructions, in that here shown, there is provided a rotary bottle advancing table 44, suspended from the column 24, as a pears in Fig. 1, having suitable openings or the bottle supporting plungers 28. As appears in Fig. 1, this table 44 is on a level with the seats 29 when the bottle supports are in their lowered position. Table 44 and seats 29, therefore, may be considered as a unit during the bottle feeding operation.

Bottles may be delivered to the rotary table 44 in any suitable manner. In the present embodiment, surrounding rotary table 44 and flush with the surface thereof is a stationary table 43 supported by posts 42 carried by the base section 12. Bottles may be delivered to the table 43 and pushed across the same to the rota-ry table 44, in any suitable manner, as by hand. It 'will be seen that the natural movement of pushing a bottle onto the table 43 will movc the preceding bottles across the table until they are eventually taken h v the rotary table 44 and carried forward by the latter.

The successive ottles pushed across the stationary table will be taken by the rotatiasaosv ing table and advanced from the receiving point. To guide the bottles alongl` a given path durino` this receiving and advancing movement there is bolted to the stationary table a curved inner cuide 45.

Co-operating with the guide 45 is a curved outer guide 46 pivotally Amounted on a pin 47 carried by a\ bracket 48. This bracket is secured by `a bolt 49 to the stationary table.

There is provided rotary mechanism having associated therewith a plurality of spaced bottle receiving pockets for positioning the bottles beneath the heads for the packaging operation. In machines of the type here described, having reciprocating bottle supports, the pockets may be formed by separate members carried by these sup ports. Although capable of various constructions, in that here shown, formed integral with each bottle seat 29 is an upright member 60 formed With a concavity constituting a bottle receiving pocket 62.

There is provided a stop device for stopping the bottles successivel before they reach a position to be taken y the pockets.

Although variable Within Wide range, this stop device may comprise a fixed abutment and a yieldable gate. In the construction here shown as an example, the stop device includes a fixed ,abutment in the form of three vertically arranged fingers 5() formed on the inner end of the o'uide 45 to extend into the path of the bott es. Oppositethis abutment and co-operating therewith to stop the bottles, is a gate 51. This gate is mounted so as to yield to permit passage of the stopped bottles, as hereinafter described. To this end, secured to the gate 51 is a rod 52 slidable in a portion of the bracket 48. To yieldably hold the gate in bottle stopping position, a coil'spring- 53 bears against a nut 54 on the rod and against the bracket 48. The outer position of the gate is controlled by a stop nut 55 on the rod 52 and it will be seen that the position of the gate may be adjusted by movement of this stop nut. The gate 51 is so ad'usted that the space between the gate an the abutment fingers 50 is insutlicient for the passage of a bottle. For example. the space may be about one-quarter less than the diameter of the bottles. It will be seen, therefore, that a bottle advanced by the .rotating table will come in contact with the abutment fingers 50 and the gate 51 and will be stopped thereby in a position such as that taken by the bottle shown in cross section in Fig. 2.

' There is provided means moving with and in synchronism with the bottle receiving pockets for forwarding the stop ed bottles into a position to be taken by tiie pockets. Although capable of various constructions, in that here illustrated as an example, each pocket forming member 60 has integral therewith a double-decked arm 61 formed with a convex, bottle-engaging surface 63 which starts at the end of the curved pocket 62 and extends backwardly, terminatlng 1n proximity to the forward end of the next succeeding pocket. The relation of the concave curve of the pockets and the convex curves of the arms 61 is clearly shown in Fig. 2. In order that the forwarding means may forward the bottles into a position to be taken by the pockets, the arms 61 and the abutment fingers 50 are so related that the forward ends 64 of the arms extend radially a slightdistance beyond the abutment fingers. A bottle, stopped by the abutment and gate is engaged by the end 64 of the arm 61 of one of the carriers in the manner shown in Fig. 2, with respect to the bottle shown in section. As the unitary part 60, 61 moves onward, the double-decked convex surface 63 makes rolling contact with the bottle and rolls it Aagainst the gate 51 which yields against its spring to permit the bottle to ass.

P There is provided a second stop device for stopping the forwarded bottles in a position to be taken by the pockets. Although capable of various constructions, in that illustrated, as an example, formed on the end of the guide member 46, is a stop gate 66 so arranged as to stop a bottle in a position such as that shown by the broken line in Fig. 2. It will be seen that a bottle so positioned is in the path of the next succeeding pocket and will be taken into t-he embrace of that pocket. The gate 66 is yieldably held in normal position by a construction similar to that described in connection with' gate 51. To this end, the gate is mounted on the end of a rod 67 slidable vin bracket 48. On the rodis a nut 68 and between this nut and the bracket 48 is a spring 69. The normal position of the gate 66 may be adjusted by means of a lock nut 70 on the lrod 67.

There is provided a yieldable abutment for engaging the bottles taken by the pockets to center them in the pockets andsteady them therein until they reach capping position. This may be accomplished, for example, by a spring or springs against which the bottles abut as the pockets move toward capping position. In the present embodiment, secured to the gate member 66, is a leaf spring 71 against which the4 bottles taken by the pockets abut on the way to capping position. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, this spring has a number of leaves and the spring is strong enough to center and steady the bottles in the pockets but'it can yield in case of over-large bottles or the like.

In vorder to steady the bottles when stopped by the first stop device, there is provided a latch arranved to yield to permit the passage of the bottlesand to take a position behind the stopped bottles. As here serves to steady shown as' an example, pivoted on a pin 72 carried by the inner ide 45 is a latch mem ber 7 3 normally heldgiln latching position by a s ring 74 which bears against the latch an against the stationary guide 45. It will be scen that when a bottle is advanced against the latclrthe latter will yield to permit the bottle to pass, but after' passing, the latch is returned by its spring to normalr position behind the bottle. as shown in Fig. 2, and the bottle when stopped by the stop device.

As before described, the guide 46 with its gate 66v and spring 71, and guide 51, are pivoted on a pin`47 carried by `bracket 48.

n order to accommodate these parts to bottles of different sizes, the bracket 48 may be adjusted to the desired position by loosening` bolt 49, the pin 47 during adjustment moving in a slot 76. To facilitate this adjustment the bracket is provided with a handle 77.

Means is provided for causing the capped bottles to be removed from the pockets. As here shown, for example, the guide 45,is an out-sweep guide 78 so poformed as part of sitioned as to engage the bottles as the cage approaches the end of one rotation and sweeps them out of the pockets onto the stationary table. (1o-operating with this guide 78 is a tension guide 79 secured to the stationary table by bolt 80.

In operation, power being applied to shaft 22, the rotary table, the bottle seats 29, unitary parts 60, 61, and the .packaging heads rotate together, the flush' with table 44 for the bottle feeding operation. -A bottle delivered to rotating table 44, as above described, is advanced by the table between guides 45, 46'until it engages the first stop, formed by the abutment fingers 50 and the gate 51. Thisposition is shown by the bottle illustrated in sec- .10o seats 29 being' tion in Fig. 2. Here -it is temporarily held until engaged by the forward points 64 of the rst presented convex forwarding surface 63. This double-decked convex surface 63 rolls the stopped bottle past the gate 51 which yields to permit passage of the bottle. The bottle is then stopped by the second gate 66 a position to be taken by the next succeedlng pocket 62. 4 This position is shown by the bottle illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 2. 4As the pockets move forward by the rotation of cage 16, the next pocket 62 takes the bottle and carries it forward. During this movement the bottle' engages spring 71 and is centered in the embrace of the pocket 62. After a bottle has been taken bythe lao -tinue their movement, and.

4spect to the pockets for the corresponding head. As the parts confol-lowing packaging operation, the particular support 28 referred to is lowered by its roller 36 running down the under side of the cam track, until the seat 29 is again flush with table 44. As they bottle moves into engagement with guide 78, it is swept out ofits pocket 62,

. across table 44 and onto the stationary table 43 from which it may be removed in any suitable manner.

With the construction described, bottles which are supplied indiscriminately spaced are properly timed with relation to the spaced pockets. As the pocket forming members and the bottle forwarding surfaces 63 are integral, they move-in synchronism and avoid any variations as might be caused in the use of gears and the like and the bottles are properly positioned with reand accurate centering is possible. Further, this accurate centering is possible regardless of the speed of operation. It is noted also that the bottles are fed into packaging position without jar or sudden movement. r

While the apparatus has been described in connection with a capping machine it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to'that particular type of packaging apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. In packaging apparatus, thex combination with rotary mechanism having associated therewith a plurality of spaced bottlereceiving pockets for positioning the. bottles during the packa ing operation, of means advancing ottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward packaging position, a stop device forA stopping bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, and means moving with and in synchronism with said pockets for rolling the stopped bottles past said stop device.

2. In packaging apparatus, the combination with rotary mechanism having associated therewith a plurality of spaced bottlereceiving pockets for positioning the bottles during the packaging operation, of means for advancing bottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward packaging position, a stop device comprising an abutment and a yieldtion wit able gate for stopping the bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, and .means .moving with and in synchronisrn with the pockets for forwarding the stopped bottles past said vieldable gate into a position to be taken byv the pockets.

3. In ackaging apparatus, the combina rotary mechanism having associated therewith a nlurality of spaced bottle-receiving pockets for positioning the bottles during, the packaging operation, o1 means for advancing bottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward packaging position, a

stop devicecomprismg an abutment and a yieldable gate for stopping the bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the. pockets, and convex bottle-engaging elements, moving with and in synchronism with the pockets for rollingthe stopped bottles past said gate into a position to be taken by the pockets.

4. In packaging apparatus, the combination vwith rotary mechanism having associated therewith a plurality of spaced bottlereceiving pockets for positioning the bottles during the packaging operation, of means for advancing bottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward capping position. a stop dcvice for stopping the. bottles successively be. fore they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, means moving with and in synchronism with the. pockets forforwarding the stopped bottles'past said stop device, and a 5. In packaging apparatus, the combina tion with rotary mechanism having asso-- ciated therewith a plurality of spaced bottle-receiving pockets for positioning the bottles during the packaging operation, ot' means for advancing bottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward capping position. a stop device comprising an abutment and a yieldable gate for stopping the bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, 4and convex bottle-engaging elements for rolling the stopped bottles past said gate, and a second stop device for stopping the bottles in a position to be taken by the pockets.

6. In packaging apparatus, the combina tion with rotary mechanism having assciated therewith a plurality of spaced bottlereceiving pockets, of means for advancing bottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward packaging position, a stop device extending into the path of the bottles to stop the same successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, means moving with and in synchronism with the pockets for forwarding the stopped' bottles to a position to be taken by the pockets, and means for adjust-ing the position of said stop device.

7. In packaging apparatus, the combina tion vwith rotary mechanism-having associa-ted therewith a plurality of spaced bottle receiving pockets, of means for advancing bottles, indiscriminately spaced, toward packaging position, a stop device extending into the path of the bottles to stop the same successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, means moving with and in synchronism with the Pockets for forwarding the stopped bottles past said stop device, a second stop device for stopping the forwarded bottles into a position to be taken by the pockets, and means for adjusting the positionof both of said stop devices.

8. In packaging apparatus, the combination with rotary mechanism having associated therewith a plurality of spaced bottle receiving pockets,l of means for advancing bottles indiscriminately spaced, toward packaging position, a stop device comprising an abutment and a yieldable gate for stopping the bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets, means moving with and in synchronism with said pockets for forwarding the stopped bottles past said gate, asecond stop device comprising apyieldable gate for stopping the forwarded bottles in a position to be taken by the pockets, ay pivotal pin on which said gates are mounted, a bracket carrying saidpin, and means for adjusting the position of said bracket.

9. In packaging apparatus. the combination rotary mechanism having' associated therewith a plurality of spaced bottle receiving pockets, of a rotary table for advancing bottles toward packaging position, a stationary table associated with the rotary table, a bracket carried by said stationary table, a bottle guide pivotally mounted in said bracket," a yieldable gate pivotally mounted in said bracket, a second bottle guide carried by said stationary table, the two bottle guides serving to guide the bottles in a given path, an abutment on the second guide forming with said gate a stop device for stopping thel bottles 'successively before they reach a' position to be taken by the pockets. means moving with and in synchronisin with the pockets for forwarding the stopped bottles past said gate. a second yieldable gate carried by the first bottle guide for stopping the forwarded bottles in a position to be taken by the pockets, a spring carried b v said second gate for steadying and lcentering the bottles taken by the pockets. and means for adjusting the position of the bracket tn adjust the thereby.

10. In packaging apparatus, the combina tion with rotary mechanism having associated therewith a plurality of bottle receiving pockets, means for advancing bottles toward packaging position, a stop device for stopping the bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets,

position of the parts carried a vieldable latch for steadying the stoppedv gaging elements for rolling the stopped bot.-

tles past said gate.

12. In packaging apparatus, the combination with rotary mechanism `having .associated 4therewith a. plurality of spaced bottle-receiving pockets for positioning the bottles during the packaging operation, of means for advancing bottles. indiscriminately spaced. toward packaging position. a

stop device, including an abutment and' a' .v'ieldable gate, for stopping bottles successively before they reach a position to be taken by the pockets. and means moving with and in synchronism with said pockets'l for forwarding the bottles past said gate.

In testimony' whereof, Il have hereunto set my hand.

CLEMENTS G. BELDEN.

W'itnesses FRANK L. LLOYD, L. H. GOLDBRIGHT, Jr. 

